Log-splitting gun



Jan. 7, 1930. BERG 1,742,573

LOG SPLITTING GUN Filed Aug. 50, 1927 gwuemtoz 7770/10/47 fiery Mattarmy Patented Jan. 7, 1930 THOBVALD BERG, OF PORT ANGELES, WASHINGTONLOG-SPLITTING GUN Application filed August 30, 1927.

My invention aims to provide an improved gun for splitting logs by meansof explosives, particularly adapted for splitting pulp wood.

Among the objects of this invention are the provision of means wherebythe barrel of the gun, when driven into a log, will automatically engagethe fibers of the wood in a manner to resist being blown out by therecoil, there '10 by accomplishing more effective splitting than ispossible by means of a smooth-barreled gun using an equal charge ofexplosive, or accomplishing equal results with a smaller charge.

Further objects are to permit the gun to be, repeatedly hammered intologs without deformation, to provide a member to receive the drivingblows which will not need frequent renewal, to prevent the entrance ofwater and dirt into the vent. and to allow ready cleaning or renewal ofthe vent.

Additional objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled inthe art from the following description and accompanying drawings,wherein a preferred embodiment of my improved gun is illustrated, itbeing understood that the characteristic features and principles of myinvention may be applied in forms other than those herein shown anddescribed.

My present invention contains certain features in common with mycopending application Serial No. 181,207, filed April 5, 1927.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross section of my improved gun, certainfeatures being shown in side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a top view; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are partial side views of the barrel showing alternativeforms of the Woodengaging elements or surface configuration.

My splitting gun consists of a barrel comprising, successively, atapered muzzle 1, a cylindrical chase 2, ataper 3 to the breech portion,and a cylindrical breech portion 4. The tapered muzzle increasesrearwardly from a diameter slightly larger than that of the bore to thediameter of the cylindrical chase 2, and the second conical portion orbreech taper 3 is near the rear end of the chase, whereby Serial N0.216,446.

the barrel is enlarged to the diameter of the breech portion 4.

In the present form of my gun I provide means, preferably in the form ofav buttress screw thread 5, Figs. 1 and 2, upon the exterior surface ofthe chase 2, for engaging the fibers of the wood so as to resist therecoil and utilize the force of the explosion in splitting the lograther than in projecting the gun backwards. I prefer a buttress screwthread for this purpose, as being readily cut on the surface of thebarrel by ordinary tools, as allowing easy driving entrance of the gunby reason of the inclined forward faces of the threads, and as stronglyholding the gun in place by engagement of the wood fibers against thevertical rear faces of the threads. It is contemplated that the gun willbe driven into the log by means of a sledge hammer or the like and notscrewed in. Consequently I may finish the surface of the chase withparallel circumferential grooves 6 of shape similar to a buttressthread, (see Fig. 3). I may employ any other finish of similarcharacteristics, such as a plurality of rasp-like teeth 7, asillustrated in Fig. 4, or other engaging elements wherein the frontsides are inclined to permit of easy driving and the rear sides slopeabruptly to prevent withdrawal from the log.

The bore 8 of the gun extends back from the muzzle through the greaterpart of the length of the barrel, this type of gun being amuzzle-loader. Near the inner end of the bore a radialinternally-threaded vent hole 9 communicates with the outside of thebarrel. The breech of the gun is bored from the rear towards the muzzlewith a shallow recess 10 of relatively large diameter, a sufficientthickness of steel for safety being left, as at 11, between the innerend of the bore and the bottom of the recess.

retaining member, such as a cap screw 14, passes through alongitudinally elongated slot 15 in the side of the recess 10 into thedriving head, to hold the latter from falling out. The longitudinalelongation of the slot permits the necessary play of the cap screwduringvthe' driving.

A remova-blevent bushing 16, preferably of case-hardened steel,externally threaded, and centrally pierced with a vent hole 17 enlargedat the outer end to receive the end of a fuse, is screwed into the venthole; This bushing has an enlarged head 18 adapted to project abovetheouter surface-ofthe barrel,- and the breech portion 4 is flattenedimmediately'behind the breech taper 3 toprovide a seat 19 for the head18.

In; operation, the gunis loaded from the muzzle with a powder'chargeand'a wad, and is then driven into thelogby a sledge hammer, afterthemanner of; a wedge, with the vent preferably upward; The taperedmuzzle l facilitates driving the'barrel into a log,

especially of soft wood, without first boring a hole. The inclinedfacesof the buttress threads. force vthe fibers apart during insertionof the barrel, after which the vertical I rear faces engage the fibers,opposing rearward motion, thus holdingthe gun'firmly' in the toga-Thebreech tape-r 3 and the protruding head 18 of the vent. bushingl6zprevent water from the log,kwhichmay'runalong the chase 2, fromentering the vent and wetname to this specification.

and a thrust-transmitting cushion between said driving head and saidbreech, said drivmg head and cushion being adapted to transmit the shockof hammer blows to said breech and protect said breech from beingdeformed thereby.

2, In agun adaptedto'be hammered into wet logs, in combination, atapered muzzle portionadapted, When driven in, to wedge "ingfrom'saidbreech,'and a thrust-transmitting cushion between said driving head andsaid breech, said drivingheadand cushioniisfi being adaptedtotransm-itthe shock of hammerblows to said breech and protect said breech frombeing deformed thereby;

In testimony whereof, -I have signed my 9o THORVALD BERG.

ting the powder charge. When the charge is fired by a fuse inserted inthe hole 17 the logis split by the force of. theexplosion, and

thejgun is freed therefrom.v

This gun issimple and strong, easily "driven into a log, particularly:of'the varieties of wood used for pulp manufacture, andexceedinglytenacious in'its holdwhen driven home, thus forcing the mainenergy of the explosion forward intothe log. Thereis nothing about thegun which is weak or readily deranged, and the only parts likely'tobeinjured either by hard usage-or corrosion, namely the driving head andthe ventplug, are easily, quickly and cheaply replaceable;

Itlwill be understood that 'I do not limit 7 apart the fibers of alo'g,a cylindrical chase adapted to enter a log without furtherwedging,rearwardly-inclined fiber-engaging elements on said chase, anenlarged breech, a charge-receiving bore within said gun, a ventholefrom said bore to the surface of said breech,'said breechenlargement being adapt- .edto turn water flowing on the surface of sa1dgun from said vent hole, a removable driving head pro ect1ng from saidbreech,

